Kindness

How can a dream matter? Some do and some don’t. A few nights ago one dream reminded me of God’s grace. Most people have numerous dreams, not me. This is significant for that reason, and also because I remembered it very distinctly, even days later. I’ll share it here in detail without any interpretation.

Dream – Scene 1

We had just rowed our little boat across a small lake. My husband had already stepped out of the boat and onto the dock by an area of bushes, definitely not a beach, a little rough but the wooden dock was big enough for a few people and to tie up the boat. I remained in the boat but it slowly moved outward so I asked him to hand me the oars.

Should you break Christmas traditions? If so, which ones should you change? Under what circumstances should they be changed? What if families would return to the Christmas of long ago and peace reigned on the earth?

Rebuilding a Dilapidated Shed. The choice to step inside or not weighed on my mind. Will the floor hold me or not? The rotten wood could cave in anytime. If you looked at the back wall you might see the critters scrambling to get out through the wide cracks.

Looking at the wet ceiling that’s been exposed to the rain and snow makes you wonder if for any reason you would store your valuables here.

A while back I had invited a local author as a guest to our Christian writers’ group that meets in my home. As a local author who had several publications under her belt, I wanted to interview her.Thank you so much for sharing your journey to inspire others to follow their dream.

When you face a coming change what feelings rise to the surface of your soul? Perhaps fear arises and chokes rational thoughts? Or anxiety robs you of the joy for today. Or thoughts reflecting on the past won’t let go.

Second choices. Secret desires. If you’re not the first choice make yourself the best choice. You are not a failure, but a priority for God’s purposes. Since it`s the time of year when graduations are happening all over the country, I thought it would be appropriate to share my story here. Mesmerized by the fact that I was considered as the invocation speaker made my heart beat with nervousness. Internally I was elated, and accepted to deliver the invocation for our high school graduating class in front an audience of 1500 people at our community auditorium. It was customary for a retiring teacher to give the speech, but I’m not sure how the choice is made. That year was different. There were only two of us retiring. As my life had often been a life of second choices, this was no exception. The other retiree was asked first but she declined so the lot fell on me and I accepted. (And fulfilled one of those secret desires on my bucket list–to speak in front of a large crowd!) Determination has played a major part in my life, and second chances should be celebrated instead of frowned upon. Since I`m not … Read more

Trying to remember. One of the symptoms of living with dementia. Daily visits with my own Mother has become a journey of remembering and prayer. Together we read the scriptures and ask God to help us remember. “But I will remember the Lord’s deeds; yes, I will remember your wondrous acts from times long past.” (Psalm 77:11 CEB) Stories of the past flood the brain in waves, until one moment, she reaches into childhood, then next moment she knows her location only to experience, a few minutes later, she has no idea who you are or the location of her house, not to mention her own bed in a long line of beds in the hospital. How to make it back to bed from the bathroom, which is just around the corner, becomes an impossible task. The simple task of spatial orientation becomes distorted. That’s devastating to the dementia patient most importantly, but also to the people around them. I wonder what would a brain look like when a person with Alzheimer’s tries to put thoughts together in some logical way? The medical workings of the brain disease are too complex for me, but the scriptures shed a little light … Read more

Deep Thinkers Retreat: Not The Norm. Have you ever thought about starting a project all over again because it sucked? Don’t throw it all away, but instead do a complete makeover like they do on TV redecorating shows. That’s what writers can do with manuscripts. Don’t discard all the words you’ve written but use them in a different way, in a different location and perhaps add some new words or use the old ones. Room Makeover Empty the cluttered room but don’t discard the furniture or the accessories. Set them aside until you paint the room and redo the floor. This could be the blueprint for the story structure. Then take one piece of furniture, perhaps the inciting incident, place it in its proper place. Keep placing each piece of furniture in the room. Some of your accessories can be used while others may not be needed. It’s the accessories that create the ambiance in a room. Creating the emotional journey in a story takes deep thinking! (This is my take on Susie’s idea of redecorating.) “A great book is rewritten, not written.” Susie May Warren I was privileged to be chosen to attend My Book Therapy Deep … Read more

Being audacious is about taking risks, going against conventions and the status quo. Brian Hutchinson Taking risks is not something everybody likes to do. It’s a characteristic of an entrepreneur. But what if you’re not an entrepreneur? But risks are also a part of everyday life. Just living is risky on many levels. Risky endeavors Does it matter that you are creating something that no one cares about? Who knows about you? You feel you are all alone in your creativity. Who wants your work, or even cares that you write, paint, sing, or craft? You’re an artist and not an entrepreneur. As humans we are approval junkies. We want others to pat us on the back. Good job. If no one does, then we crumble up in a ball on the floor! Give up. Is that a sign of a weak person? Or do we take the risk and create anyway even if no one sees our creativity? Artists are a different breed. They don’t always like structure. Or the 9 to 5 grind. Work in a factory? No way. Do you know someone who is like that? Sure we all do. Maybe you are one of those types? … Read more